I have never been able to decide if I dislike the rhythm of the word, its Machiavellian moral heart -- or both.
Either way, I should be pulling out my mea culpas because I have been boating on Schadenfreude Pond all day.
To dislike the wall that is being built to separate the United States from Mexico is morally simple. It is ugly. In the same way that Dorian Gray's portrait was ugly. It reflects some rather nasty ideas.
When my brother and I crossed into Mexico at Lukeville-Sonoita, we paused to look at the project that made Robert Frost a true prophet: "Something there is that doesn't love a wall,/ That wants it down!"
Just to prove I can contradict myself, last April in high dawn in yuma, I wrote:
Either way, I should be pulling out my mea culpas because I have been boating on Schadenfreude Pond all day.
To dislike the wall that is being built to separate the United States from Mexico is morally simple. It is ugly. In the same way that Dorian Gray's portrait was ugly. It reflects some rather nasty ideas.
When my brother and I crossed into Mexico at Lukeville-Sonoita, we paused to look at the project that made Robert Frost a true prophet: "Something there is that doesn't love a wall,/ That wants it down!"
Just to prove I can contradict myself, last April in high dawn in yuma, I wrote:
I should note that when you cross the border, you are faced with the monstrosity of a wall that stretches futilely over the hills -- attempting to repeal everything Adam Smith taught us about free markets. Some people see the fence and are reminded of Robert Frost or the Berlin Wall. I see it, and think of Krusty the Clown.
I still see Krusty the Clown. But, even my bizarre post-modern mind could not have devised a better Krusty-like moment than what I read in Thursday's newspaper.
There were many reasons for building the fence. And I will concede that every nation must defend its own borders. But one of the chief reasons was to keep out people who were willing to work for low wages to feed their families. The people who are sneeringly referred to as economic refugees.
Thursday's article reported that a group of industrious Mexicans decided, because the American economy was so weak, there was no reason to brave attempting to breach the fence. Instead, they decided to break up the fence and sell it as scrap metal.
Six men have been arrested and will be prosecuted by Mexican federal authorities. The first two were caught cutting into the fence on Monday. An accomplice was captured on Tuesday with 11 pieces of the fence. American authorities turned in three more.
I have not seen photographs of the fence, but I get the impression it now deserves a new sign: "Queso Suizo."
At the end of every war, one of the more melancholy events is watching noble warships being turned into scrap metal.
In the war against illegal immigration, it is ironic to see the people who are being shut out profiting from the device designed to exclude them.
An irony wrapped in a oxymoron inside a red clown nose.
There were many reasons for building the fence. And I will concede that every nation must defend its own borders. But one of the chief reasons was to keep out people who were willing to work for low wages to feed their families. The people who are sneeringly referred to as economic refugees.
Thursday's article reported that a group of industrious Mexicans decided, because the American economy was so weak, there was no reason to brave attempting to breach the fence. Instead, they decided to break up the fence and sell it as scrap metal.
Six men have been arrested and will be prosecuted by Mexican federal authorities. The first two were caught cutting into the fence on Monday. An accomplice was captured on Tuesday with 11 pieces of the fence. American authorities turned in three more.
I have not seen photographs of the fence, but I get the impression it now deserves a new sign: "Queso Suizo."
At the end of every war, one of the more melancholy events is watching noble warships being turned into scrap metal.
In the war against illegal immigration, it is ironic to see the people who are being shut out profiting from the device designed to exclude them.
An irony wrapped in a oxymoron inside a red clown nose.
